Jerry Tomberlin is the dean of the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University.

In the fall of 2016, students will be able to pursue a dual degree Master of Arts/Master of Business Administration pathway. It will be possible to attain an MA in Economics, with a concentration in Financial Economics, and an MBA with a concentration in Finance and Economics in the span of 20 months.

“This exciting new initiative is the first MBA+ degree at Carleton,” Sprott School of Business dean Jerry Tomberlin said in a statement. “The Sprott School of Business hopes to offer several other new pathways in the future that will allow our students to graduate with an MBA and another degree. As multiple skill sets are becoming almost a necessity in today’s work world, this is an extremely desirable approach.”

Students in the dual degree program will also have the chance to make practical use of their skills through a mandatory four-month internship. Placements can take place in either the public service or the private sector and serve to further diversify the students’ experiences.

“The new MA/MBA initiative will provide students with an interdisciplinary experience, which is a hallmark of graduate studies at Carleton,” Matthias Neufang, dean of Carleton’s Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs, said in a statement.

Applicants must meet the individual requirements of both the programs if they are interested in enrolling. Successful applicants will be using their university time more efficiently, according to Sprott’s associate dean of MBA programs Lorraine Dyke.

“Students in the MA/MBA pathway will graduate with two degrees in less time than it would take to pursue both degrees individually and save tuition while gaining valuable skills,” she said in a statement.